A while back, I complained to my critique partners about the fact that I was on deadline and had to write a fight scene (in case anyone is wondering, this conversation did not come up in the context of writing Release Me or any of the books in the Stark Trilogy. Those are an entirely different type of choreography!)

Fight scenes always take me longer than other scenes, and I was whining that maybe instead of fighting I should just have them hold hands and sing Kumbaya.

Here’s what I got back in an email from the wonderfully talented Kathleen O’Reilly:

Kum-ba-ya, My Lord…
Kum-ba-yahhhhh………
Kum-ba-ya, My Lord
Kum-ba-ya.

Kum-ba-ya, My Lord
Kumbaya
Oh, Lord. Kumbaya.

Someone’s got a deadline, Lord,
Kumbaya
Someone’s got a deadline, Lord
Kumbaya
Someone’s got a deadline, Lord
Kumbaya
Give her the fighting words, Lord
Kumbaya….

(In case you’re wondering, I DID get the fight scenes written!)

Feel free to sing along, and think of me and Kathleen while you do!

[signoff]